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Chelsea Recreational Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 129 Google reviews · Running trail in Chelsea, Alabama · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Tree cover
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Chelsea Recreational Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

ShadedHillyRestroomsWater

Recreation spot with a playground and picnic areas, plus sports fields and a walking trail.

What runners say about Chelsea Recreational Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (129 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🌳 shaded & cool 3 mentions

“Positives: there is a huge picnic area, there is a big kid and toddler playground, and there is a great walking trail that has a good portion of it shaded.”

It has a trail that changes elevations as you go. The majority of the walk is covered by the trees 🌲 so your not directly under the sun the entire time. There’s is a playground 🛝 where kids can play. Minor writing ✍️ by kids at the table. And as far as bathrooms 🚽 functional and decently cleaned 🧼.

★★★★☆ — Cristina , Jul 2022

We love going to this park. There is lots of room to run and play. Negatives: there is always a mud puddle, the bees and ants love this park, and one of the baby swings is broken.

★★★★☆ — Danielle , Mar 2019

This is a great place to just hang out and relax. The walking trail is very nice and surprisingly cool with all the shade from the trees. A great place to bring the whole family (including your fur-babies)! My husband and I really enjoyed it and will definitely be back.

★★★★★ — Angie , May 2023

Beautiful walking trail. We ride bikes when it’s not busy in the summer. Gets busier in the fall. Usually cleared of spider webs but be careful.

★★★★★ — Admiral , Oct 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 129 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🚻 Restrooms 8 mentions

“They have soccer fields and a baseball field, and plenty of bathrooms including a new building put up end of last year.”

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🌳 Shaded / tree cover 3 mentions

“Positives: there is a huge picnic area, there is a big kid and toddler playground, and there is a great walking trail that has a good portion of it shaded.”

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⛰️ Hills / elevation 3 mentions

“It has a trail that changes elevations as you go.”

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🚰 Water fountains

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Plan your run at Chelsea Recreational Park

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
  • At the trailheadrestrooms, water — reported by runners
  • Websitecityofchelsea.com
  • Phone+1 205-678-8455
  • Social Instagram

Hours

Monday 7 am–8 pm
Tuesday 7 am–8 pm
Wednesday 7 am–8 pm
Thursday 7 am–8 pm
Friday 7 am–8 pm
Saturday 7 am–8 pm
Sunday 7 am–8 pm

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Chelsea Recreational Park

2966 Co Rd 39, Chelsea, AL 35043

Get directions

Running trails near Chelsea

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Raven Roost & Truckin’ trail

4.7 ★★★★★ 3 reviews

Westover, AL

3.8 miles away

Dunnavant Valley Greenway

4.7 ★★★★★ 102 reviews

Birmingham, AL

1.8 miMixedShadedScenic

Easy but steep in places, 1.8-mile hike featuring trees, streams, and waterfalls.

4.0 miles away

North Trailhead

4.9 ★★★★★ 108 reviews

Birmingham, AL

Scenic

Hiking area featuring varied trails leading to a popular scenic overlook.

4.3 miles away

Maggie's Glen

4.8 ★★★★★ 23 reviews

Birmingham, AL

100 miBoardwalkScenic

4.3 miles away

Double Oak Park

4.9 ★★★★★ 49 reviews

Sterrett, AL

MixedScenic

Well-groomed trails for mountain biking and hiking through woodland, plus a pavilion for picnics.

4.5 miles away

Oak Mountain State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 5,432 reviews

Pelham, AL

100 miMixedScenic

Home to a petting zoo, golfing & beaches, this vast park has camping, hiking trails & fishing.

5.2 miles away

All running trails in Chelsea, AL →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.